Villarreal led 2-0 by the 50th minute at Cornella El-Prat Stadium, starting with teenage midfielder Matias Nahuel picking out Moises Gomez's run into the area before Jeremy Perbet doubled the advantage by scoring from a through ball into the area.

Espanyol cut the advantage in half in the 77th after Jhon Cordoba powered home a low shot, but Asenjo's late heroics ensured Villarreal kept pace with fourth-place Athletic Bilbao for the league's last Champions League qualifying place.